A new boutique hotel inspired by the classic Monopoly board game is being developed in Atlantic City, the place where the original game's street names can be found.
Construction will begin early next year on “The Top Hat" at The Orange Loop. The boutique hotel's design is inspired by the Monopoly board game, particularly the top hat piece.
This piece is one of the original six tokens players use to move around the board as they purchase properties and strive to outsmart their opponents.
Top Hat Hotel To Be Built on Tennessee Avenue
The project is located on Tennessee Avenue, right in the center of the Orange Loop.
This area is famous for its diverse mix of restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment spots. Since it began, the Orange Loop has played a key role in revitalizing Atlantic City, drawing visitors who want a more local and authentic experience beyond the casinos.
Along with the hotel, a container park is also going to be developed on Tennessee Avenue. Ground is also expected to be broken on that project within the next several months.
The Top Hat at The Orange Loop will offer 1,400 square feet of commercial space on the ground floor and a boutique hotel-style short-term rental on the upper level. The Top Hat design celebrates the board game and seeks to make the new hotel a cultural landmark in Atlantic City.
The Link Between Monopoly Boards and Atlantic City
The Monopoly board game is deeply rooted in the history and streets of Atlantic City. Most of the properties on the board are named after streets of the city, except Marven Gardens, which is located in nearby Ventnor City.
In the 1920s and 1930s, the Atlantic City Quakers adapted the game to make it more accessible for children, mirroring the local community's character. Atlantic City served as a bustling hub for immigrants, intellectuals, and diverse religious groups, which inspired the game's development.
Charles Darrow, then unemployed, first encountered the Atlantic City version of Monopoly in 1933 and became captivated by it. Eager to refine the game, he enlisted the help of his friend Franklin Alexander to create a new design. Darrow eventually patented the game and successfully sold it to Parker Brothers in 1935, cementing its place as a beloved classic.
Attendance at Atlantic City Casinos Still Down
Developing a unique boutique hotel like The Top Hat can also be seen as a way to improve tourism in Atlantic City.
Although revenue is being helped considerably by online gambling, New Jersey's nine casinos, all located in Atlantic City, are not experiencing the hoped-for post-pandemic rebound.
Many had anticipated that the summer of 2024 would bring a surge of visitors back to Atlantic City, but the July in-person gaming statistics indicate that this recovery has not materialized.
Typically, in the colder months, Atlantic City shifts from being a summer tourism destination to hosting indoor conferences, conventions, and other events.
What's ironic is that travel levels to New Jersey destinations, including the Jersey Shore, surpassed 2019 levels in 2023, according to a study by Oxford Economics. Although they were expected to continue rising, Jeffrey Vasser, head of the state’s Division of Travel and Tourism, told northjersey.com that business travel has struggled to return to pre-pandemic levels.
Perhaps projects like the Top Hat and the container park will help change that.
